Caring
by startscribbling12
Summary: Edmund disliked many things. But that doesn't mean he didn't care.


**Caring  
**By: startscribbling12

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Edmund did care. It's not like he walked around pissed off at the world. Sure, he didn't like people, but he did care about his siblings. Most of the time, he wasn't good at showing it, but when he did, he was thanked gratefully. Peter got on his nerves most of the time, and he didn't like him too much, but he did care for him. Susan was quiet during the family squabbles, and Edmund was grateful for that. But, when she talked, he didn't want to listen. Though, when her boyfriends would mess with her, he would protect her along with Peter. Lucy was the one that bugged him the most. She was to be turning fifteen in a few months and she still complained to him like when she was ten. He had little tolerance for her when she whined and most of the time he would tune her out.

But he did care.

Edmund's school, the Upper School, has an annual Step Up day where the students who are about to graduate from the Lower School come and have a tour. A group of representatives visit the Lower School first, give a speech to the class that is going that day, and then take them to the Upper School next door. Normally, Edmund didn't care about speeches. He had given many of them when he reigned next to Peter as King Edmund the Just. What bothered him now is that he was to help give the speech to Lucy's class. He knew for a fact that she would something to embarrass him in front of his friends.

Hands stuffed in pockets, Edmund trailed behind his friends as they headed for the class. His brown hair was untidy, as was his uniform. His bottom lip was in a slight pout.

"It's just a speech man!" Edmund's best friend would keep repeating to him. He never told his friend that he was more worried about seeing his sister. That would ruin the sixteen year old boy's reputation. The door to the class opened and the group of fourteen year old students looked at the boys as they walked in. Edmund's blue uniform stood out against all the red ones as they stood there in front of the class. His eyes flickered around the room. He noticed a few girls staring at him, but they weren't the girl he was looking for.

He couldn't find Lucy.

She never missed class.

As his heartbeat picked up, he noticed her back pack sitting on the chair that she should be in. Her notebook was spread open and her pencils laid on the table. So, he knew she was here, but she wasn't _here. _Leaning over to his friend, he whispered that he would be right back in time for his part of the speech and sped out of the room.

He knew the school by heart since he attended here only two years ago. Edmund didn't even know where to start looking for her. If this was a free period, she would be in the library. Lucy was a quiet, nice little girl who liked to keep to herself and her small group of friends. But, this wasn't a free period and he didn't know where she could be.

But, then he thought.

The bathrooms?

Changing his direction, he walked to the nearest set of bathrooms that he could find. A group of girls were leaving the bathroom, laughing. They were the type of girls that most guys would date. Edmund wouldn't. They were the walking definition of slut. They gave him a glance as he slid past them, and at that moment he heard Lucy's name upon their lips. He stopped, making it look like he was looking at something until they turned the corner. It was silent again in the hallway. A loud thud was heard in the bathroom and Edmund turned and took a deep breath. Even being sixteen, he still was unsure if it was okay to go into the bathroom. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he walked inside.

"Lu?" He called, his voice echoing around the room. Another thud was heard before a strained response was heard.

"Ed?" He followed her voice to the second stall. Lucy was seated on the floor of the stall, eyes blood shot. Her braids were a mess , coming out of their ribbons. Her books and papers that she had brought with her were floating in the toilet, and the extra water had spilled over all onto her skirt. Her bottom lip was quivering as she looked at him with scared eyes.

"What happened!?" He knelt down to her side and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his shirt as she gripped onto him.

"They—they bullied me. I walked into the bathroom and I didn't say one word to them! They started making fun of my hair and pushing me around!" Lucy said to him. Edmund placed a kiss into her hair.

Sighing, he spoke again. "I don't think any of this is salvageable." He pointed to the papers.

"I don't think so either." She pouted. "That was my favorite book too." As Edmund began to calm her down, he took out the bows in her hair and started to re-braid them. To get her mind off of what happened, he asked her different questions.

"Are you excited to go to the Upper School?" Edmund muttered, running his fingers through her hair.

"Of course! So many things to learn. Plus, I'll be in the same school as you, Susan, and Peter." Lucy smiled up at him.

Edmund finished up fixing her hair and helped her stand up from the bathroom stall. She took some paper towels and began to wipe off the wetness from her skirt. Getting it as dry as she could, Edmund wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulder as he left the bathroom. Her eyes were still puffy, but she looked much more presentable. Leading her back to the room, he opened the door and everyone in the room looked at them. The girls who bullied her stared. Their mouths were agape.

Lucy took a seat in her chair as Edmund went to stand back up with his friends. One of them was just ending his speech that Edmund was going to speak after. Clearing his throat, he looked around the room. He spoke of rules and regulations, making careful notice to stress how bullying was not tolerated. Lucy smiled at him through the entire thing.

There was a short Q&A session after wards, and then a small break before they would walk out to the school. Most of the kids were getting their coats on, talking to one another. Edmund walked over to the group of young girls who were talking hushed in a corner.

"I don't appreciate you picking on my younger sister." He said sternly. One of the girls tried to put on a flirtatious smile, while the other ones immediately got his message.

"What do you mean? We didn't bully her." Edmund didn't really care that they were girls. He cared about Lucy and tolerated no one picking on her.

Leaning in, he spoke in a quiet, dark tone. "Let's put it this way: I find you picking on Lucy again, and I will make your life hell in the Upper School." With that, and her stunned face, he turned away, walking back to Lucy. She stood up, only coming up to his shoulders, and looked at him.

"What did you say to them?"

"Oh nothing. I doubt they will be bothering you anymore." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. She put her arms around his waist and squeezed him back. "Come on, Queen Lucy the Valiant." Giving her a kiss through her hair, he slung an arm around her shoulder and led her out of the room, over to the Upper School.

Edmund didn't like many things.

But he cared about Lucy.

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YAY! Narnia oneshot!

I am out of my KH phase!

So, a little Ed/Lu sibling fluff.

I adore them.

Review please!


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